Rail retaining structure



Jan. 20, 1953 SPENCER 2,626,108-

RAIL RETAINING STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 24, 1949 2 SI'IEETSSHEET l I N V EN TOR. lee Qpezzcer Jan. 20, 1953 L. SPENCER 2,626,108

. RAIL RETAINING STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 24, 1949 v 1 2 SHEETSSl-IEET 2 7,, Jae 506.2681

V c 6. 16a j/ W7 Patented Jan. 20, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT) OFFICE-- 2,626,168 v c RAIL RETAINING STRUCTURE Lee Spencer, Phoenixy Ariz, i Application January 24, feta-s rial f ve. -72,521 j This invention relates in general to rail retaining devices and has particular reference to improvements in devices of this character which perform the dual functions of securing the rail to a'crosstie, with capacity for a limited vertical movement relative to the crosstie and to also prevent lengthwise creeping movement of the rail.

The present invention deals with two of the principal problems encountered in railway track maintenance, to-wit, lengthwise creeping of the rail in the direction of the moving traffic and the tendency which abnormal vertical wave move- .ments of the rail have to exert upward pulling force on the rail fastening spikes, which force may result in pumping the crosstie in the ballast of the roadbed or in loosening the spikes in the crosstie.

With the foregoing considerations in mind it is an object of the invention to enablea rail to be fastened to a crosstie in such a fashion as to permit limited vertical movement of the rail relative to the underlying crossties, on which the rail is supported, and to utilize certain of the rail proper position on its supporting structure.

It will be observed, therefore, that a principal object of the invention is toprovide a construction which is composed principally of conventional elements arranged in their normal positions to perform their primary functions, for example a tie plate secured to the top face of a crosstie and a rail anchor clamped onto the base portion of a rail and abutting against a vertical face of a, crosstie to resist the creeping movements of the rail, the said conventiona1 elements being connected to perform the cooperative function of fastening the railto the crosstie.

Still another object comprehends the provision of a pair of conventional rail anchors positioned, one on either side of the cross tie, so as to transmit the creeping stress from the rail to the opposite vertical faces of the crosstie, that, is to say. the arrangement of each rail anchor being such as to transmit the creeping stress from the rail directly to the crosstie without imposing said strains on the tie plate and tie plate fastening spikes.

6 Claims. (Cl. 238-327) Other objects and important features of themvention will be apparent from a study of the description hereinafter, taken together with the drawings, which relate to certain preferred embodiments'of the inventions. H While the invention is described in terms of preferred embodiments thereof, its'scope is not to be limited in terms of a rail fastening device according to the present invention; .Fig. 5 is a side elevationview thereof looking in the direction of the arrows 55 of Fig. 1; and

Figl 6 is a front elevation view of the rail fastening device shown in Fig. 4, and showing the crosstie in transverse section.

Referring now toFigs. 1 to 3 of the drawings, the improved rai1 retaining structure is generally indicated at In and is shown as applied to a track rai1 ll. Only the base portion l2 and a web 13 of the rail are shown. The base portion l2 of the rail seats on a tie plate I4, the latter of which is secured to a cross tie I6 by track spikes ll, the spikes passing through apertures l8 formed in the tie plate [4 and into the crosstie I6 in a manner well known in the art.

In order to resist-lateral thrusts of the rail, the tie plate I4 is provided with a pair of spaced abutvme'nts .I9 and 21 positioned to engage opposite edge portions of the rail base I2.

The creeping ofa rail with a respect to the crossties on which it is' supported may result from various causes, but it has been found that such creeping'movement can be prevented by applying a rail anchor device to the baseportion of the rail in a position to transmit the rai1 creeping pressures to certain of the crossties or other stationary parts of the roadbed. 'The rail anchors, herein designated 22,. are of a known type and are, formed by bending a metal bar, T-shaped in cross-section, into a configuration to provide a hook at one end. The hook portion provides upperand lower jaws whichgrip thetop and bottom surfaces of one flange of. the rail base, whenpthe anchor isdriven toits applied position. The shank portion 23 of the T-bar is in the form of a rigidifying rib 24 which extends around the hook portion of the anchor to reinforce the hook and extends also across the rail beneath the base to abut against an adjacent side face I 6 of a crosstie, as shown in Fig. 3.

The laterally extending arms of the T-bar provide a flat top surface for bearing against the rail and vertical edge surfaces which are adapted to abut against the vertical edge 21 of the tie plate. The end of the anchor remote from the hook is upset as at 30 to provide a shoulder 32 which bears against an edge 33 of the base portion I2. In forming the return bend 28 on the rail anchor 22, the lateral arm 26 of the T-shaped bar is bent as at 34, and the distance between the start of the bend at 34 and the shoulder 32 is such that the bend functions as a stop to limit-the applying movement of the anchor when the surface 29 reaches its proper position on surface 31 of the rail base and shoulder 32 reache its locking position.

In positioning the rail anchor 22 against the crosstie, vertical rib 24 thereof is brought underneath the base portion l2 of the rail with the surface 29 of the return bend or hook 28 placed against the surface 3i of the rail base portion I2. By striking the rail anchor 22 at the return bend 28 a clamping action will be provided against the rail base portion I2, it being well known, of

course, the rail anchor 22 is made of resilient material such as mild steel, whereby the flexing at the bend 28, during the applying movement, will cause the rail shoulder 32 to snap into place, as shown in Fig. 2, to lock the anchor on the rail.

With rail anchor'22 positioned on opposite sides of the crosstie l6 as seen in Fig. 3, with their vertical ribs 24 in engagement with the sides of the crossties l6, creeping movement of the rail II, in either forward or reverse directions, with respect to the crosstie l6 and the tie plate 14 will beprevented.

It is desirable to secure a railroad rail to the crossties with capacity for .a limited vertical movement of the rail relative to the crossties. Otherwise the normal vertical wave movement of the rail, incident to the passing of trafiic thereover, exerts a vertical pulling force on the fastening spikes or imparts vertical pumping of the crossties in the ballast of the roadbed. According to the present inventions means are provided for enabling the rails to have the normal amount of wave motion and, at the same time, preventing creeping movement of the rails. To this end the plate I4 is provided with a pair of lugs 36 welded thereto at opposite sides of the rail, one being positioned near the end of the abutment l9 and the other being secured at the opposite end of the abutment 2|. Each of the lugs 36 is formed with an arm 31 which overlie the return bend '34 of a lateral arm 26 as seen in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 3, the overlying arm 31 is spaced from the lateral arm 26 a slight distance as shown at 38 so that the rail ll together with rail anchors 22 may freely move a limited distance in a vertical plane to accommodate the normal wave motion of the rail H. The overlying arm 31 of the lugs 36 are also spaced a short distance from the vertical rib '24 of the anchor, as shown at 39, to provide for a small variation in the width of the crosstie IE or the width of the tie plate l4.

It will be seen with reference to Figs. 1 to 3 of the drawings that there has been provided, according to the present invention, an improved rail fastening device which will prevent creeping of the rails with respect to the crossties, the creeping stresses so induced being substantially transmitted directly into the crosstie, a portion only of thecreeping stress being transmitted into the tie plate and into the crosstie through the spikes l1, thereby making for a longer useful life of the spikes and preventing enlargement of the spike holes in the crosstie. According to the present invention the rails II are thus enabled to have a certain amount of vertical wave motion with respect to the tie plate I4 and the crosstie 16, the amount of such movement being controlled by the clearance 36 between arms 31 of the lugs 36 and the top surf-ace of the bends 34 at the hook end of the anchors.

Referring now to Figs. 4, 5 and 6: the rail retaining structure shown in said figures includes a tie plate and a pair of rail anchor devices which maybe of the same construction as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, inclusive, the corresponding constructions being identified herein by the reference charactersprovided with an exponent a.

The principal distinction of the modified embodiment over the embodiment of Figs. 1 .to 3 is that the modified embodiment includes a special form of lug-which extends over the central reinforcing rib 23 of the associated anchor 2.2 so as to overlie the top surfaces of the bend 34 at opposite sides of the reinforcing rib 23 and also overlie the topportion 23 of the rib 23 the latter of which is cut away to 'provide the horizontal surface 23 According to the modified embodiment, a pair of lugs 36 36 are Welded to the tie plate 14 one being positioned near the end of the abutment l9, and the other being secured to the opposite end of the abutment 21*. Each of the lugs 36 is formed with an armB'il which overlies the return bend of the rib 23 of the anchor, as seen inFigs. 5 and 6. As shown in Fig. '6,"the overlying arm .50-is spaced from the rib 23 a slight distance as shown at 5| so that the rail! I together with rail anchors '22 may freely move in small amount in a vertical plane during wave motion of the rail. The overlying arms 50 of the lugs 36 are also spaced from the opposite sides of the rib 23 a slight amount as shown at 39 to provide for a small variation in dimensions of the crosstie N5 or in variations in "the widthof the tie plate 14*.

'It will be seen, with reference to Figs. 4 to 6 of the drawings, that there has been provided an improved form of rail retaining structure "which will prevent creeping of the rails with respectto the crossties, the creeping stresses induced "being substantially transmitted directly into the crosstie, a portion only of the creeping stresses being transmitted into the'tie plate and into the crosstie through the rail spikes thereof,'thereby making for a longer useful life of the track spikes. The modified embodiment also permits the rail to have a certain amount of vertical movement with respect to the tie plate and the crossti'efth'e total amount of such movement being controlled 'by the arms of the lugs 36 which overlie the rail anchors and which are'se'cured to the tie plate.

'While the invention has been described in terms of embodiments which vth'e'invention may assume in practice, its scope is not inten'ded'to be limited in terms of the embodiments shown but only by the terms of the claims here anpended.

I claim:

1.'In a railway track structure of the class described, a crosstie and a tie plate fastened to the top surface thereof, a railroad rail having a base portion seated on the plate, a pair of rail anchors secured to the base portion of saidrail; the said anchors, in each case, being of T-sha-pe in cross section and arranged with the central-rib thereof abutting against a sideface'of said crosstieand including an integral hook at one end thereof releasably 'enga lg'eablev with'fanadjacent edge of the rail base portion at oppositesides of the rail, and means'for securing the rail on the tie plate with capacity for limited vertical movement withrespect to said tie plate comprising a pair oflugs. secured to said tie plate, one at either side ofsthe rail, .and. having a portion overlying said hook at alocation at one, side .of said central rib and spaced. upwardly, from the. anchor to accommodateithenormalamount of wave motion ofsaidv rail with respectutosaid tie plate;

2. In a railway track structure of the class described, a crosstie and a tie plate fastened thereto, a railroad rail including a base portion seated on the tie plate, a rail anchor secured to the base portion of said rail for preventing endwise movement of said rail with respect to said crosstie and said tie plate and having an angular cross section comprising a horizontal arm and a vertical rib projecting therefrom, the said vertical rib being adapted to abut a side face of said crosstie, and an integral detent at one end of said rail anchor releasably engageable with an adjacent edge of said base portion, and a hook formed at the other end of said rail anchor also releasably engageable with said base portion of the rail and means for securing the rail to the tie plate with capacity for limited movement vertically of the plate comprising a lug secured to said tie plate and having a portion overlying said horizontal arm and spaced upwardly from the vertical rib of said hook for limiting the amount of wave motion of said rail in respect to said tie plate and said crosstie.

3. In a railway track structure of the class described, a crosstie, a tie plate fastened to said crosstie to provide bearing for a track rail, a pair of anti-creep members secured to the said rail, one at either side of said crosstie for preventing endwise movement of said rail with respect to said crosstie and said tie plate, each of said anticreep members being of angular configuration in cross section comprising a horizontal arm for gripping the rail and a vertical rib for abutting against a side face of said crosstie and bent at one end to provide a hook releasably engageable with said rail, and means for securing said rail to the tie plate with capacity for limited movement relative to said tie plate and said crosstie comprising a pair of lugs secured to said tie plate on opposite sides of said rail and adjacent the end of said tie plate, each of said lugs having a portion overlying said horizontal arm of an adjacent anchor device, but spaced upwardly therefrom to accommodate the normal wave motion of said rail with respect to said tie plate.

4. In a railway track structure of the class described, a rail foundation including a crosstie and a tie plate fastened to said crosstie to provide bearing for a track rail, a base portion on said track rail, a pair of abutments on said tie plate cooperating with the edges of said base portion for preventing the transverse movement of said rail with respect to said crosstie and said tie plate, a pair of rail anchors secured to the base portion of said rail on each side of said crosstie for preventing endwise movement of said rail with respect to said crosstie and said tie plate, each of said rail anchors being T-shaped cross section and comprising lateral arms providing a horizontal portion and vertical rib extending therefrom, the horizontal portion of said member being adapted to abut the edge of said tie "'6 plate and the vertical rib member being'adapted to abuttheside of said crosstie, and including an integral detent, at one end thereof releasably engageable with an adjacent edge of said base portion of the track rail, and a hook at the opposite end also releasably engageable with said base portion of the track rail, said hook having a T -shaped ,cross section including a portion engaging saidbase portion of the track rail and an upstanding rib, and means for securing the rail to the tieplate with capacity'for limited movement relativeto the-plate comprising a, pair of lugs secured to said -tie plate onopposit sides of said base portion of the rail and adjacent thejend of said tie plate, each of said lugs having an arm overlying said hook and spaced upwardly therefrom for accommodating the normal wave motion of said rail with respect to said tie plate.

5. In a railway track structure of the class described, a rail foundation including a crosstie and a tie plate fastened to said crosstie to provide bearing for a track rail, a base portion on said track rail, a pair of abutments on said tie plate cooperating with the edges of said base portion for preventing the transverse movement of said rail with respect to said crosstie and said tie plate, a pair of rail anchors secured to the base portion of said rail, one at each side of said crosstie, for preventing endwise movement of said rail with respect to said crosstie and said tie plate, each of said rail anchors including a body having a T-shaped cross section comprising a horizontal portion and a vertical rib extending therefrom, the horizontal portion of the rail anchor being adapted to abut the edge of said tie plate and the vertical rib of the rail anchor being adapted to abut against a side face of said crosstie, and including an integral detent at one end thereof releasably engageable with an adjacent edge of said base portion of the rail, and a hook at the other end of said rail anchor also releasably engageable with said base portion of the rail, said hook having a T-shaped cross section including a horizontal portion engaging said base portion of the rail and an upstanding rib, and means for securing the rail to the tie plate comprising a pair of lugs secured to said tie plate on opposite sides of said base portion and adjacent the opposite ends of said tie plate, each of said lugs having an arm overlying said upstanding rib of said hook and spaced upwardly therefrom for limiting the amount of wave motion of said rail with respect to said tie plate and said crosstie.

6. In a railway track structure of the class described, a rail foundation including a crosstie and a tie plate fastened to said crosstie to provide bearing for a track rail, a base portion on said track rail, a pair of abutments on said tie plate cooperating with the edges of said base portion for preventing the transverse movement of said rail with respect to said crosstie and said tie plate, a pair of rail anchors secured to the base portion of said rail, one at each side of said crosstie, for preventing endwise movement of said rail with respect to said crosstie and said tie plate, each of said rail anchors including a body having a T-shaped cross section comprising a horizontal portion and a vertical rib extending therefrom, the horizontal portion of said body being adapted to abut the edge of said tie plate and the vertical rib of said body being adapted to abut the said crosstie, and including an integral detent at one end thereof releasably engageable with an adjacent edge of said base portion, and a hook at the opposite end of said '7 body-also rel'easa'bly engageable with said base portion, said hook having a T-shaped cross section including a horizontal portion engaging said base portion of the rail and an upstanding rib, and means for securing the rail tothe tie plate comprising a pair of lugs secured to said tie plate on opposite sides of said base portion of the rail and adjacent the opposite ends of said tie plate, each of said lugs having an arm formed with a recess defining portions embracing and overlying said upstanding rib of said hook and spaced therefrom for limiting the amount of wave motion of said rail with respect to said tie plate and said crosstie.

LEE SPENCER.

' REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

